Building the Foundations of Skills for Life!

“Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No Excuses!” - Kobe Bryant

A carpentry program is a great way to
offer a hands-on educational experience to students, allowing them to engage in their learning and develop real-life skills while giving back to their community. The Carpentry Program has been offered at Grosse-Ile School since October 2018.

The inaugural class was composed of grade 8 students, a class with one girl and ten boys, were thrilled to have an opportunity to learn new skills that they can apply in concrete ways in their lives! In the first year of the carpentry program, students built a greenhouse and multiple garden boxes for the schoolyard that are still in use today.

In its second year, these students will build on what they learned and deepen their knowledge of the craft. The first project comes from a need in the community. This year the students made four picnic tables that will be distributed throughout our community. The second project will be delivered to the school itself. Four “Buddy Benches” will be painted by the students and put out on our playground to encourage students to sit and form friendships.

At the beginning of the program last year, students needed instructions and to be guided but this year they take initiative and show their leadership skills. To see the finished product in the school or out in the community is very rewarding for the students - they take pride in their work! One student, in particular, was so proud of himself for using a saw which is a tool he had never used previously to this course. You could see him light up and a huge smile comes across his face.

“The carpentry course was an eye-opening course for us youth to have the opportunity to take. It taught us very valuable lessons, more than just carpentry. It taught us safety, time management and to take pride in our work. It opened me up to new experiences such as correcting mistakes and using new tools. Overall it is one of the best courses I have taken and showed there is more to education than just books”. -- Tyson Scott, A Grade 9 honors student at Grosse-Ile School.

This carpentry program was made possible by our partner, C.A.M.I. (The Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders) who helps provide funding towards the purchase of material. Beyond helping create opportunities for students to expand their academic and personal skills, C.A.M.I. contributed to the local economy of Grosse-Ile by creating a job for a local community member to teach the class.

The Grosse-Ile CLC is a persevering community with a strong sense of family and traditional
belonging. It is a community with a collaborative network of partners that support the needs of the school and the community, and work together to enhance the local quality of life.

Reference

Photo caption: Carpenter Darrell Burke and Tyson Scott a student from Grosse-Ile adding the finishing touches to a picnic table.